1. Scope of Invention
This invention relates generally to building wall and roof construction, and more particularly to a roof and wall panel tiedown bracket for securing plywood roof and wall panels to their wood supporting rafters and wall studs, respectively.
2. Prior Art
In wood framed building construction such as in residential homes, it is common practice to attach roof and wall panels directly against their supporting wood rafters and wood studs, respectively, by simply nailing through the panels directly into the rafters and studs. Where no significant loading occurs from the inside of the building, but only occurs against these exterior roof and wall surfaces as by snow loading or moderate wind loading, such nailing procedures are satisfactory. However, in more sever weather conditions such as in tornados and hurricanes, unusual pressure gradients and wind loading are significantly increased in a manner which tends to lift or rip these exterior panels from their support rafters and wall studs.
This serious limitation of conventional building construction has been highlighted by the devastating effect of a very recent hurricane, Andrew, which virtually destroyed an entire population in South Florida, in part because of this as one of many construction deficiencies.
Various modifying metal bracketry and fasteners have been developed which add to the strength and versatility of this basic wooden frame construction. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,776 invented by Barker which is directed to a counter baton-rafter connecting bracket for retaining a layer of thermal insulation over the roof rafters.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,646, Colonnias discloses a bearing connection for distributing downward gravity bearing loads via sheet metal connectors into a wooden structural member such as a floor or joist. This invention is also intended to resist seismic, hurricane or other upward forces but does not act directly to retain the roofing and wall panels themselves, but rather only on rafters and joists.
Tomason, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,595, discloses a pre-fabricated roofing and siding panel which includes a fastener means and bracketry for securing these pre-fabricated panels to the roof rafters themselves. However, this invention is only useful in conjunction with the specific structure of the prefabricated panels disclosed and is not universally applicable.
A roof bracket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,123 invented by Albert which discloses a roofing bracket connectable to a roof truss for temporarily supporting a roofer working on a sloping roof. An articulating roofing panel clip has been invented by Fulton and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,403 designed to secure a standing seam roofing panel to purlins or joists. This invention is likewise not universally applicable but rather is only designed to act in conjunction with uniquely configured metal roofing panels disclosed.
The present invention provides for a means for positively securing roof panels and wall panels to their supporting rafters and wall studs, respectively, which resists upward and outward air pressure from detaching the roof and wall panels during severe weather and seismic activity, adding significant attachment strength over conventional nailing.